Cherie is a personal trainer with a infectious can-do attitude. She is on a weight loss journey to lose 100 pounds and almost there!  She loves all things fitness and works out in her home gym. Cherie also enjoys thrifting, coffee, and people watching. She blogs about fitness, food, and and random things at Cherie Runs This.

Girl Hero Cherie

How much weight have you lost and how long did it take you?

I have lost 85 pounds. I began in January 2010, so a little over 2.5 years…I believe slow is the way to go!

How does your lifestyle now compare to your lifestyle then? In other words, how do your before and after weight loss stories compare?

I’m A LOT more active now. I also make healthier choices such as taking the stairs vs the elevator or choosing grilled items vs fried. I’m more carefree and not always worried about something like, are my clothes going to fit, is someone taking a picture of me and posting it on Facebook and if so what will I look like, are my shirts sticking to my rolls, am I going to run into someone and will they see how much I’ve gained… Before the weight loss, there was constantly something related to my weight running through my mind. Now I just don’t think about it. I eat right and work out and that’s it.

Do you find having your own weight loss story helps your clients to be be able to relate to you?

YES. They can see that I’m a real live person that they know {as opposed to someone on The Biggest Loser or in a magazine} and it CAN be done.They can also relate to me because I’m empathetic of their situation and they understand that.

You workout in your home gym. What sort of equipment do you use?

I use all of this in my home gym: a treadmill, a power tower, a punching bag, a stepper, free weights, curl bar, standard plates, resistance bands, resistance tubes, toning bands, weighted ball, stability ball, yoga mats, DVDS, Pilates ring, Pilates ball, jump rope, ab wheel, ankle weights, BOSU ball, kettlebell, foam rollers and an inversion table.

What is your preferred type of exercise?

Running. I used to hate it, but now I love it. Go figure!

Any advice that might help others to stay motivated?

YOU have to make the decision that getting healthy, losing the weight and making this a life change is MORE IMPORTANT to you than being unhealthy, continuing to be overweight and staying the same.

I wish I could do it for you, but I can’t. No one could do it for me either. Until there was something that sparked within me that said, “Okay, I’m ready now–let’s do this. I’m all in,” nothing was going to change. You’ll know when you’re ready because nothing will get in your way. Not chocolate cake, a buffet, laziness, sleepiness, a holiday, chores– nothing.

If it helps you to make a vision board of quotes, mantras, pictures of clothes you want to wear, the body you want to have, go for it. Do it. I personally had to keep staring at the “Before” picture of myself and look at it often–it helped! But along with this vision board, set clear, specific goals on there and work toward them. Don’t just say, I want to wear a size 10 again someday. Make it attainable, but set a time/date to work toward.

You lost your mother to cancer. I’m so sorry. You say on your blog that it changed you. Can you elaborate on that?

Thank you. Yes, in one way it changed me because I promised her on her deathbed that I would lose the weight. So that promise {along with a teacher’s comment} helped to physically change me. Other ways were non-physical. I was a total Mommy’s Girl. I ran to her for everything. I had to finally grow up, yes, in my 30s, and learn to do things on my own. I matured a lot in those past few years. I also started to work on being the woman she would have been proud of…I think I’ve succeeded in that.

How do you keep adventure in your life?

I try new things now. I was very set in my ways in all aspects. I used to immediately say no to this, or no to that. Now I just put myself out there and give anything and everything a shot. Learning to adapt to change and not being so afraid of it keeps me adventurous.

Thank you Cherie for sharing your story with us! You are beautiful inside and out!

Hugs and High Fives,
Jenn

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Journey with our family on the road at New School Nomads as we travel fulltime in RV through the United States!

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